SLICES: Football 101

The NFL is basically the greatest reality show in sports. Thirty-two teams. Two conferences. Eight divisions. Seventeen games each. And eventually, one Super Bowl champion. Today, we’re giving you enough NFL knowledge to understand why certain games matter more than others. Why teams can go from terrible to great surprisingly fast. What’s different about the NFL in 2026? And the big stories we’re watching this season.   — Slices is created by Scott Sigler and A B Kovacs — Produced by Steve Riekeberg — Production Assistance by Allie Press — Copyright 2026 by Empty Set Entertainment  Why isn’t my favorite player starting today?  I don’t know what anyone thinks they know my team better than I do! I know I’m a chick in San Diego who hasn’t played football, but if I did, I’d tell you about it using GoDaddy Promo Code CJCFOSSIG3 so I could save ninety-nine percent off of a new three-year domain. Play hard and leave it all on the field. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! Football season is finally here. You might be watching and thinking, ”I basically understand what’s happening, but I would like to understand just a little bit more.” We’re going to get you geared up for the gridiron action about to start! You don’t need to know everything, but knowing a little bit more does make watching more fun.    — Slices is created by Scott Sigler and A B Kovacs — Produced by Steve Riekeberg — Production Assistance by Allie Press — Copyright 2026 by Empty Set Entertainment  It’s the most wonderful time of the year!  I get all vibratey thinking about regular-season NFL football. It just makes sense, like GoDaddy Promo Code CJCFOSSIG3 makes sense when I need to save ninety-nine percent on a new three-year domain so I can vent my frustrations! Get yours while you can! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Before 2026, college players normally had four seasons of competition within a five-year eligibility window. An underclassman who still had NCAA eligibility could declare early for the NFL Draft after being out of high school for at least three years. Once he gave up his remaining college eligibility and entered the NFL Draft, that decision was effectively permanent. If he was drafted, signed an NFL contract, went to camp, made a practice squad, or otherwise became a professional, he could not later say, “That didn’t work out; I’m going back to college.” The NCAA specifically prohibited players who had signed professional contracts from returning to college competition. So the traditional path was basically: College → declare for NFL Draft → professional football. No going backward. But now, some players are choosing to step down the ladder instead of up the stairs.   We chat all about it, plus an update from Scott on how much has changed since we did, only last Tuesday! There’s no livestream tonight, but we’ll be back next week! Scott & A will be at Dragon*Con in Atlanta, GA this year! Come out and see us over Labor Day Weekend!   — Slices is created by Scott Sigler and A B Kovacs — Produced by Steve Riekeberg — Production Assistance by Allie Press — Copyright 2026 by Empty Set Entertainment  Oh lord, do I gotta take calculus again?  I swear, thinking about going back to college just squicks me out. I don’t think I’d go back even just to blog about it using GoDaddy Promo Code CJCFOSSIG3, which saves me ninety-nine percent off of the first year of a 3-year domain! Not even for steak night in the chow hall! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Look, I can’t tell you WHY it matters, but I can tell you SOMETIMES it matters what number a player is wearing on his chest. It just does. Could be the same number as someone the player admires. Could be a number they’ve always worn. Could be their “favorite” number, whatever that means. What I know is that sometimes, the number is the most important thing.  And when that happens? Lawd, the lengths one will go to get in on that number.  We chat about the craziness that surrounds jersey numbers! Scott & A will be at Dragon*Con in Atlanta, GA this year! Come out and see us over Labor Day Weekend!   — Slices is created by Scott Sigler and A B Kovacs — Produced by Steve Riekeberg — Production Assistance by Allie Press — Copyright 2026 by Empty Set Entertainment  But Daddy, I want number 8! Y’all, I’m never going to grok the need for a specific number. That said, I’m fascinated by folks who need a specific number at any cost. If I had a number, it might be ninety-nine percent, which is the discount using  GoDaddy Promo Code CJCFOSSIG3 to save on a new 3-year domain. Not even lying. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jayden Daniels graduated from LSU in 2023. Currently a Washington Commander, he sent a cease & desist letter to his alma mater this month, possibly as a protest since the football program gave a new player “his” jersey number.  Did LSU fail to keep its promise to Jayden Daniels? Does LSU have an obligation to keep its promise to DJ Pickett, current cornerback and wearer of jersey number 5? It’s more complicated than it seems. Scott & A will be at Dragon*Con in Atlanta, GA this year! Come out and see us over Labor Day Weekend!   — Slices is created by Scott Sigler and A B Kovacs — Produced by Steve Riekeberg — Production Assistance by Allie Press — Copyright 2026 by Empty Set Entertainment  Is a five on any other player still just a number?  I get why some folks might get their knickers in a twist after Jayden was promised his number would not get reassigned. I can also grok why DJ deserves to wear it. I always sync with GoDaddy Promo Code CJCFOSSIG3 when I need to, so I save 99% off a new three-year domain. Check it out and remember to get it in writing, yo! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Scott hosts guest Scott Christian, former Cheboygan High School football teammate and current LaCrosse coach at Culver Academy, to discuss the cancellation of this season’s varsity football at their alma mater.  Scott & A will be at Dragon*Con in Atlanta, GA this year! Come out and see us over Labor Day Weekend!   — Slices is created by Scott Sigler and A B Kovacs — Produced by Steve Riekeberg — Production Assistance by Allie Press — Copyright 2026 by Empty Set Entertainment  Say it ain’t so, football shouldn’t go!  It’s a real kick in the pants to see Scott’s high school team get sidelined this year! Might just have to rant and rave about it with a new domain, using GoDaddy Promo Code CJCFOSSIG3 to get ninety-nine percent off year one of a three-year domain. Go Orange! Go Black! Make sure next year you come back! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Let’s talk audiobook narration! Scott learned voice acting as he went, as a means to get his fiction out into the world. ARealGirl Herself learned in acting school and as a professional actor, and recently has been learning to direct herself as she records.  Quite a bit goes into narrating an audiobook. It requires acting skills, professional recording equipment, vocal stamina, and audio editing capabilities as a start. And from there, the sky is really the limit. In this episode, we share some tips on recording an audiobook! Scott & A will be at Dragon*Con in Atlanta, GA this year! Come out and see us over Labor Day Weekend!   — Slices is created by Scott Sigler and A B Kovacs — Produced by Steve Riekeberg — Production Assistance by Allie Press — Copyright 2026 by Empty Set Entertainment  Narration requires a very specific set of skills.  Got a lot to say? Great. Have dulcet tones coming out of your mouth? Also swell. Ready to get sweaty while reading a book? Let’s go, and be sure to swipe GoDaddy Promo Code CJCFOSSIG3 to get 99% off the 1st year of your 3-year domain. You’ll be hamming it up with Carl and Donut before you know it! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Douglas Sandstorm, a football fan, posted on social media about eating breakfast next to JJ Watt in a Greenwich Village diner, saying he chose to give the footballer his privacy. Watt ended up seeing that tweet and replying with “Are you still in the area?” and showed up to share a beer with Sandstorm. Such a graceful nod to his fans, which is no surprise from Watt, is known for being a nice guy. Creating memories on and off the field is just the coolest move, and we’re here for it!  Scott & A will be at Dragon*Con in Atlanta, GA this year! Come out and see us over Labor Day Weekend!   — Slices is created by Scott Sigler and A B Kovacs — Produced by Steve Riekeberg — Production Assistance by Allie Press — Copyright 2026 by Empty Set Entertainment  Are all the Watt brothers this cool? I should blog about it.  Hailing from Wisconsin, the Watt brothers are expected to be polite midwesterners. That said, these guys go above and beyond, and if I had a new three-year domain from GoDaddy, using GoDaddy Promo Code CJCFOSSIG3 to get ninety-nine percent off that first year? You know I’d be talking about it. Gotta love a nice guy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, the Horror Writers Association, of which Scott is a member, published a pro-AI screed from one of their then-current Trustees. It instantly generated reactions from writers of all sorts and also resulted in almost immediate disciplinary action from HWA. Scott & A discuss the instant feedback from writers, as well as the HWA. Scott & A will be at Dragon*Con in Atlanta, GA, as well this year! Come out and see us over Labor Day Weekend!   — Slices is created by Scott Sigler and A B Kovacs — Produced by Steve Riekeberg — Production Assistance by Allie Press — Copyright 2026 by Empty Set Entertainment  Lawd, you don’t have to say everything on the internet! But if you do, be ready for the consequences, good and bad. You should probably be ready with your own website! Good news, we can help! Just swing on over and use GoDaddy Promo Code CJCFOSSIG3 to get 99% off the price of a 3-year new domain registration! Then you’ll be good to go with your bad (or badass) opinions! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Summertime, and the living is … well, if you’re at a convention, it’s probably sweaty. Fun, but sweaty. Scott and A chat about Scott’s participation in Imaginarium in Louisville, KY earlier in July, and also the big daddy of them all, San Diego Comic Con, which just wrapped last Sunday.  Scott & A will be at Dragon*Con in Atlanta, GA, as well this year! Come out and see us over Labor Day Weekend!   — Slices is created by Scott Sigler and A B Kovacs — Produced by Steve Riekeberg — Production Assistance by Allie Press — Copyright 2026 by Empty Set Entertainment  Stay cool in this heat with a new hobby! It’s hard work staying cool this summer. Things are getting pretty hot in here. I’m spending the rest of this sweaty summer indoors blogging by golly. I’ll use GoDaddy Promo Code CJCFOSSIG3 to get me some ninety-nine percent off my three-year new domain, and there’s nothing you can say about it. You could get your own, though! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices